Page 5 of Wasted Memories
“I’ll have to give him shit tomorrow for not saying goodbye.”
“You work tomorrow too?” I pouted. It seemed like he was working more than he was at home lately.
He kissed the side of my head as we headed for the car, brushing his lips across my olive skin as he said, “I’ll be home before dinner, I promise.”
I opened the passenger door for him as he removed his arm from over my shoulder. Brendt was already in the driver's seat, the heater blasting warm air throughout the cab. As Jett slid into the seat, I got in the back, holding my hands in front of the heater after buckling myself in.
Stella was right, a silk dress was not a smart move on a forty five degree night, but when all I wore during the week was a waitress uniform, I liked to dress up a little when we went out.
Jett loved it. He loved showing me off, so naturally I had to dress like the whole town was looking. Mostly because they were. Everyone knew everyone around here, and we knew when someone was out of place. There were shops for out-of-towners and shops for the locals. They didn’t mix, and if you were caught lying about being from here, the locals didn’t take it lightly.
We took pride in being a small, close-knit town.
My mind wandered back to the man in the bar as Brendt pulled out of the parking lot. He'd said he just moved here, but why?
From someone who grew up here, I could see the appeal, but this town was just a gas station stop for many. More people moved away from Oldport rather than moved in.
Whatever the reason was, I hoped the town wasn't too hard on him. Newcomers learned all too quickly that the people of Oldport didn't take it lightly when people came in trying to change our ways.
Chapter Two
Emerson
Saturdaymorninghitmelike a truck.
I’d only had two drinks but my head pounded like I’d drunk a whole handle of whiskey. I guess that’s what I got for mixing an espresso martini with beer.
Groaning, I blinked the sleep from my eyes. I felt beside myself to find I was alone in bed.
Jett had already left for work.
Typical.
Getting out of bed, I pulled on one of Jett’s t-shirts, heading to the bathroom to brush my teeth and take a shower in the hopes it would wash my hangover away. Jett was probably up before the sun, hangover free. I wondered if Stella felt the same way I did every Saturday morning after our bar nights.
I grabbed my phone to send her a text on my way to the kitchen when I saw my coworker, Jessica, had texted me six times. Rubbing the blurriness from my eyes, I read through them.
Jessica 6:45am:I need you to cover my shift, if you’re free.
Jessica 6:47am:If I call out and don’t have back up, I’m pretty sure Mr. Bossy Pants will can my ass.
Jessica 7:03am:I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t an emergency.
Jessica 7:10am:You really gonna make me beg?
Jessica 7:13am:I’ll cover any shift you need me to, any time, I just need this solid from you.
Jessica 7:17am:Jeez Emerson, you better be sleeping and not ignoring me right now.
I looked at the time. Her shift was in fifteen minutes. Without the truck, it’d take me at least twenty to walk there. I typed back a response, agreeing to cover her, and hurried to get ready.
I threw on some light makeup and tugged my hair up in a ponytail, not bothering to mess with the disaster I knew it was. Pulling on my skin-tight jeans and black crop top that had the restaurant name splayed straight across my boobs, I grabbed my jean jacket and headed out the door.
I wasn’t too concerned about disappointing Elijah, my wonderful boss who seemed to always have a stick up his ass, but I also didn’t want to pull Jessica under the hate cloud with me, so I started speed walking.
I’d been living with Jett for almost a year when I started working at the Tavern. He was making enough money to cover all our bills and take care of me, but I missed having a social life outside of our Friday nights at the bar.
As glorious as it sounded, being home all the time gets boring when everyone else around you has a job and a life. Without too many places to work in this town besides the hardware store, the grocery store, or one of the tourist shops, I immediately agreed to work at the restaurant when Jett said he could get me a job there.
